Kathrine Beckett, Lady of the House
by bonescastlerock
Summary: 1838, London. Miss Katherine Beckett is almost twenty-two and hasn't yet married after her childhood friend broke her heart six years earlier. But what will happen when a rich, hansom stranger with an impressive title walks into her father's ball?
1. Chapter 1

**AN: So this is my newest story. It came to me shortly after seeing the second episode of season four, where Martha is making costumes for her theatre school, dressed as what looks like Lady Macbeth hands Castle's phone to him and said, "Lady Beckett, my Lord." It probably didn't help that I was reading _Pride__and__Prejudice_ at the time either. So it floated around in my head for a while before I started writing it down and this is the product.**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 1**

_London, 1838_

Miss Katherine Beckett stood with her father greeting guests as they arrived at their ball. As always it was the first of the season, held at Múrdèr, their grand house in town. Lord Beckett always held the first ball of the season in honour of his late wife, who had perished with the birth of their youngest child, Miss Jenifer.

As Miss Katherine went through the motions of greeting her guests, she thought about her little sister, Jenny. Tonight was her coming out, this was to be her first season, and she was predicted to be the success of London.

She politely excused herself from her father after all of their guests had arrived and started to make her way around the room. She paused slightly when she saw her other sister Elaine talking to Javier Esposito.

The Esposito family lived principally in London and the two families were quite close. Many had thought that Javier and Elaine would have married after her first season, but they hadn't and three years later neither of them were married still. Katherine sometimes thought that if it wasn't for her, Elaine might have been married by now. Katherine often thought that if she had married, then her younger sister could be happily settled. She had also once thought that she would be married after her first season, but that was six years ago, and she hadn't seen him since.

As she made her way around the room, Katherine started thinking about the man she hadn't seen in six years. They had grown up together, out in the country. His family had lived on the property next to her father's and he was an only child. He had never known his father as he had died in a terrible horsing accident when he was only a couple of months old, though like her father, his mother had never re-married.

Despite his being three years her senior, they were the best of friends growing up, she challenged him; he challenged her. She became wise beyond her years and he would always have a new story to tell her. All he ever wanted to do was write, but he knew he had to follow in his father's footsteps, or he would forfeit the estate. So at the tender age of nineteen he was called into service of the King, to train in the military.

It had been six years ago, at her very own coming out ball, that she had seen him last.

_They had bee dancing then he asked her to take a walk in the garden with him, and she was floating on air. She was certain that he was going to purpose. They had walked around for a while, and then sat on her favourite bench, the one with her mother's name on it. He took her hands and she couldn't supress her grin, she just knew what was going to happen, or so she thought. _

"_Katie," He had said to her, looking down at her hands, then back to her eyes. "I have something to tell you." He told her, and when she looked like she might respond he continued. "No, don't speak, let me say my piece. I don't really know where to start, but to say that I put off leaving until after tonight, because I knew how much it would mean to you."_

_Be she hadn't caught much past him saying that he was leaving. "Leaving?" She questioned. "Leaving to where?" She asked._

"_I am to go into the military." He told her. "I am to be posted up north. I will be in Colonel Markway's regiment, under the command of Captain Montgomery."_

"_Why are you only telling me this now?" She asked, somewhat calmly._

"_I'm sorry." Was all he said to her. He stood, placed a kiss on her knuckles and walked off. Just before he was out of her sight he turned. "Goodbye Katherine Beckett." He said before walking out of her life and leaving her in teary mess._

She was pulled out of her memory of that night, as she most often was, by her father.

"Katie," He said to her, offering his white-gloved hand. "It's time to open the dancing." She placed her blue-gloved hand in his and walked towards the centre of the room with him for the only dance she would dance that night.

For the past four years it had always been so. At her father's ball Katherine would open the dancing with him, and not dance another dance for the entire night. She just couldn't bring herself to do it. Just the thought of more dancing on that night would bring thoughts of him back to her mind.

Of course when she went to other balls and parties of the season she was known to be quite the dancer, just not at her father's ball.

Katherine finished the dance with her father, and sought out her sister.

"Lanie," She said as she approached her. "Mr Esposito." She greeted him.

"Kate." Her sister said, taking her hand. "You looked lovely out there with Father, but then you always do."

"I'll leave you ladies to it." Esposito said.

"Oh no," Katherine exclaimed. "Don't leave on my account, I was just passing by." She finished and promptly walked off.

Katherine continued to watch the dancing, accepting drinks occasionally when they were offered. In general just doing what she did every year at her fathers ball, she people watched.

Katherine was fascinated with the way society moved around her, so she would stand at the side of the room and watch that night, because it was the only night she could get away with it.

It was necessary though for her tonight to be out and about a little. Her father caught her eye and she went to get Jenny from her room, doing what would normally be the mother's job. She led Jenny down the stairs to their father, and gave him her hand. He then presented her to the crowd, and they danced.

When she had fulfilled her role, Katherine started watching again. She noticed that after dancing with their father, Jenny was asked to dance by Kevin Ryan; that she accepted was no surprise. The Ryan's were another family from town that they had known all their lives, and Jenny and Kevin Ryan looked good together.

Katherine wondered around the room, watching all the colours swirling around the dance floor. She was so lost in her own little world that she didn't notice a pair of blue eyes following her around the room.

It was a little while later, that the owner of those eyes made themselves known.

"Dance with me, Katie?" A voice behind her asked

Katherine was startled, there were only two people who called her Katie, and one was her father, who she could see dancing with his second daughter. That meant it could only be one person.

**Reviews are love, let me know what you think :D**


	2. Chapter 2

**I'm greatly overwhelmed with the response to this story, it's just amazing. A massive shout out to those who reviewed, you are awesome. I've had a massive couple of days, so this chapter has now been tweeked. Enjoy :D**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 2**

Having recently received the title of Lord Castle, as his predecessor and all his family had perished on their return trip from the Americas, Richard Alexander walked around the outskirts of the grand ballroom at Múrdèr, where he hadn't stepped foot for six years.

Richard had arrived just in time to see his dear friend Katie hand her youngest sister Jenifer to her father to be presented and he stayed in the shadows and watched her for quite a while.

She had grownup so much in the six years since he had walked out of her life, breaking her heart, and his own, in the process. That night he had walked in from the garden, slipped around the edge of the ballroom and out of Múrdèr without saying goodbye to anyone, his mother included. He had slipped away and left his life behind; if he couldn't face Katie, he couldn't face anyone.

Richard watched as Katie made her way around the large room, stoping occasionally to talk, or to get a drink, but in general she just walked around the room, just watching the people there. He wondered why she wasn't dancing, she was a great dancer, of that he knew. They had learnt how to dance together, so they had danced many times, but still he remembered the feeling of dancing with her that night six years ago. He danced with her when she danced her first dance as a lady. He remembered the smile on her face, and how it hadn't faltered until he told her he was leaving.

He let his eyes leave her for a moment, and saw her sister Lanie dancing with his friend Javier and wondered if they had married yet, it was clear just looking at them that they were in love. Though people had often said that about Katie and himself, but he had ignored them. She was his best friend, they had known each other years; he couldn't love her. But again, he had been young and foolish.

It had only taken a little over a year to realise that he loved her. When he was promoted to the rank of Officer quite a number of girls would all but throw themselves at him, but there was only ever one he accepted, she was so different from Katie that he thought he could get her off of his mind, but it didn't work, so he never took the advances of other girls again. He would just go back to his quarters, and once a week he would write a letter to Katie. It never bothered him that he got replies less than half as often as he sent letters, but in all the letters he sent not once had he mentioned the fact that he loved her. That was something he had to do to her face.

Richard let his gaze roam the room again, looking for that head of brown wavy hair that he would be able to spot a mile away, and thought about how he came to be here, and so finely dressed at that.

It was just under a year earlier that Richard had been promoted to the rank of Captain, and they found out that the late Lord Castle had perished. Richard was sent to his estate to settle his affairs and found that the late Lord Castle had no family left to speak of. So he prepared his findings and set off back to his commanding officer, Montgomery.

Montgomery had read his findings, written off a short note of his own and ordered him to the King, to sort everything out, telling him that he would dispatch an express to get to London before him.

When he had arrived in London two weeks later the King was waiting for him. He handed over his findings and Montgomery's letter, which the King read with scrutiny. The King looked up and told him that if he accepted then the estate and title of Lord Castle could be his, and Richard had accepted. He was hence forth Lord Richard Castle.

He had been in the town for two months, sorting out business, when the invitation for Lord Beckett's ball had arrived.

When Richard next looked around the room for Katie he found that she was standing not ten feet in front of him, watching her father dance with Lanie.

He stood stock still for a moment; it was now or never. He walked up behind her and spoke.

"Dance with me, Katie?"

-!-!-!-

When Katherine turned around she was staring into a pair of blue orbs that she would never forget. Six years? It barely felt like six minutes since she had last seen them. Suddenly she was sixteen again, and there was her best friend.

Reality soon caught up with her enough to choke out a word.

"Ricky?" She asked, as she took in the rest of him. He was very well dressed; she had never seen him in such fine clothes. She was shocked out of her blatant staring by his words.

"Dance with me, Katie?" He asked, holding out his hand, and she could do nothing but place her hand in his and be led to the dance floor.

-!-!-!-

Many people were surprised when they saw Miss Katherine Beckett dancing with the tall, hansom stranger. As everyone knew that she never danced any but the first dance at her father's ball, but she seemed to be dancing of her own free will so no one could see any harm being done.

Out in the middle of the room Richard could feel people staring at them, and he didn't know why.

"Katie," He said. "Why is everyone staring at us?"

"Could be one of two reasons," She responded cryptically. "Either it is because at my father's ball I only ever dance the first dance. Or it could be because I'm dancing with a strange man that none of them recognise."

"But you recognised me." He commented.

"Yes," Katherine responded. "But remember, we spent most of out childhood together, and I saw your eyes; I'd know those eyes anywhere. And everyone else has only seen you from a distance, even I wouldn't have recognised you from a distance, you have much finer clothes that you ever did. Care to explain?"

"Uhh..." He started. "I have recently acquired a new title." Katherine nodded her head for him to continue. "Lord Castle." He stated, averting his eyes from her.

Katherine wanted to get as far away from him as possible, but for now she would just have to do with not speaking to him any more for the rest of their dance, and he noticed.

"Look Katie," He started when he realised that she wasn't going to say anything. "I wanted to tell you, I really did, but I could never find the way to write it, and so the letters never even got sent. I wanted to tell you in person, but this wasn't the way I imagined it happening." He didn't get the chance to say anymore as the song came to an end and Katherine extracted herself from his arms, dipped a slight curtsy and fled to the garden.

Richard made his way towards the edge of the room, knowing that he couldn't follow her out there for a good ten minutes without both of them being the subject of talk, not that they weren't already. But he didn't want to ruin her reputation. So he made polite small talk with a few people and once the next dance was finished he headed into the garden. He knew exactly where he would find her.

-!-!-!-

When Richard rounded the last corner before he would get to the bench labelled with Johanna Beckett's name he wasn't sure what to expect. But it wasn't what he found. What he found was Katherine sitting on the bench, much like the last time he had seen her there; tears streaming down her face.

It had taken him a while to figure out why she was so upset that night, but one night it hit him like a stampeding horse. She had thought he was going to propose, and he ended up leaving her.

Richard shook his head to clear his thoughts and walked up to her.

"Katie," He said gently, attempting to take one of her hands in his, but she wouldn't let him. "Talk to me, tell me what's wrong."

"You want to know what's wrong?" Katherine asked sarcastically. "What's wrong is that you walked out of my life six years ago without thinking anything of it. Now you're back, acting like nothing has changed, but everything has. Everything but one." She finished before a fresh batch of tears started streaming down her face and she got to her feet and took off through the garden.

**AN: So what did everyone think? Reviews are love.**


	3. Chapter 3

**I was really overwhelmed by the amount of emails I woke up to this morning! I really didn't think that this fic had that much potential! As a result I now have a back up of chapters waiting to be edited/ posted! So you, my lovely readers, get another chapter, yay!**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 3**

Katherine Beckett only appeared in the ballroom long enough to make excuses to her father. Complaining of a headache, she retreated to her room. She called for her maid who unfastened her hair and helped her out of her dress, then closed the windows before leaving for the night.

On the way to her bed Katherine stopped to look at herself in the mirror; she was a right old sight. She had managed to fix her appearance before entering the ballroom, but after exiting it her tears had started afresh. She stopped scrutinising her appearance and climbed into bed, though sleep was a long way off.

As she sat in her bed Katherine's thoughts slipped to Richard, _Lord__Castle_, as she knew they would. How they had barely spent a day apart since she was five; that is until six years ago. Even if they were sick, they would find a way to see each other.

With a slight smile on her face she remembered the year that she was eight.

_The snow was only just starting to thaw, or so they thought. Ricky, in all his eleven-year-old wisdom, had thought it would be fun to run across the, apparently frozen, lake that was the boundary between the two properties after they had been told that it was to late for skating but to early for swimming. They were coming at it from either side, intending to meet in the middle. But Katie had only taken three steps in when the ice cracked and she fell through._

_Ricky had been mortified. He raced across the ice, sometimes only just escaping from falling in himself, until finally he got to where she had fallen. He caught sight of her hand, waving slightly, just above the freezing water took hold of it and pulled her out._

_He carried her all the way home to her father, and carried her up to her room where he left the maids to help her. He had then gone down to her father's library to tell him what happened. And he had told the truth, taken the blame, which was so unlike Ricky. He had then gone home and copped another earful from his own mother and was restricted to the house for a week. But that didn't stop him; he snuck out of his house, and into hers, at least once a day for the whole week that she was in bed. He would tell her stories and make her laugh. He would hide whenever they heard someone coming._

Katherine remembered how their parents had tried to keep them apart after that incident, but realised quickly that it wouldn't work. She remembered a time when she was twelve and he was fifteen and her family was at his house for dinner. After Ricky and her father had come into the sitting room they overheard their parents talking about them. They caught them say how it wouldn't surprise anyone to see them married as soon as they were both old enough. They had laughed about it for weeks, but Katherine was only laughing about it because he was, she didn't think it was funny at all.

As the years progressed the notion came up again and again, but somewhere along the line they stopped laughing about it, they stopped talking about it all together.

At some point Katherine's memories turned to dreams as sleep overtook her, but it was anything but peaceful. Her dreams were riddled with images of him; from when they were young, from that very night, of things that could have been.

-!-!-!-

When Lord Richard Castle walked into his town house, Lòftòs, he walked straight to his chambers stopping only momentarily to ask his valet, Mr Carter, to bring him half a canter of his strongest liquor.

As soon as he was in his chambers he started stripping off the outer layers of his clothing; his blue coat, his black waistcoat and cravat, his boots. Finally, when he was down to just his white shirt and pants, his valet knocked on his door.

"Enter." He commanded, and Mr Carter entered with a tray with a canter of liquor and a sniffing glass.

"Will that be all, my lord?" Mr Carter asked as he set the tray down.

"Yes, thank you." Richard said, distractedly dismissing his valet. He poured himself a healthy slosh of the liquor and downed it in one go; not even bothering to stop and find out what is was first. He shuddered at the burn of the aged scotch running down his throat and sighed. He poured himself another and sat in the chair at his desk, sipping his scotch, thinking about how his life had become so messed up.

His life was great when he was younger; he led an easy life, his mother was good to him, he had good friends and he had good times with them. As Richard sat sipping his scotch he remembered the summer of the year he turned nine.

_It was a lovely day, just the right temperature to go swimming, so he and Katie were down at lake together. They had managed to get her maid who had come with them to go back to her house for something, so they were alone._

_Richard looked at Katie, then at the large trees that were not far from where they were sitting, and he decided it was high time that Katie learnt how to climb a tree, she was six after all._

_Katie had tried to resist, saying that if her maid found out they were both in big trouble, but in the end she relented and starting climbing up the tree, with him not far behind her._

_She had picked the biggest tree to climb, and it took them a while to get to a height that they couldn't go any further safely. As they sat in the tree and just talked, they lost track of the time._

_Rick was in the middle of telling Katie a story about a Princess Nicole and a young handsome knight, Sir Rook, when they heard Katie's maid calling their names and they shared a look of dread. Neither quite knew how to handle the situation without getting in trouble, other then to climb down the tree quietly. But Katie soon found that it was easier to go up then it was to go down._

_Her dress kept getting caught and her feet kept slipping. By the time they were down Katie's maid had left again, Katie had scrapes all over her hands and a slight tear in the bottom of her dress. There were also more people out looking for them. As always, when they were found Rick rattled off some true-sounding story so that neither of them got in trouble…_

When Richard pulled himself out of the memory his scotch was almost gone so he placed his glass on the desk and stumbled out of his chair, pulled off his shirt and fell, ungracefully, into his bed.

Even in his sleep, as it had always been, he couldn't get Katie out of his head.

**Ok, so this chapter kind of feels like a bit of a filler to me, but I feel like it had to be there. In the next chapter the story takes a turn and gets really interesting!**

**Here's what seems like a random question, but what better place to ask it: Has it ever been mentioned in an episode of Castle what part of New York City Beckett grew up in? If not in your opinion, where do you think she grew up (I know very little about New York City as I live in Australia... any help would be appreciated!)**

**And let me know what you think of the chapter! :D**


	4. Chapter 4

**So here's the next chapter, and another won't be up for a couple of days! I really appreciate all the reviews, they make the continuance of writing that much easier.**

Massive shout outs to **TheseAngelWings** and **summer1158** who both decided to tell me where Beckett grew up, clearly I haven't watched the first episode in a while...

**On with the story.**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 4**

Lord Richard Castle was woken the following morning by a pounding in his head. Or was that pounding sound coming from his door? He sluggishly pulled himself out of his bed and stumbled to the door. He opened it to find Mr Carter on the other side.

"My Lord." The valet said. "There is a solicitor, by the name of Green, in your library who insists on seeing you immediately."

"Why?" Richard grumbled out. "And what time is it?"

"I'm not sure why, he wouldn't say, just that it's important." Carter replied. "And it's half ten."

"Very well then." Richard said. "Carter, will you lay out my blue coat while I clean up and tell Mr Green that I'll be down in ten minutes." He finished before heading back into his chambers.

"Very well, sir." Carter said, and then went about his duties.

-!-!-!-

Richard strode to his library, boots clicking on the wooden floor, slightly more than ten minutes later. He stopped short two steps into his library when he looked around and saw not only who he assumed was Mr Green, facing away from him, but a little girl also. Looking at her he guessed that the little girl was maybe four years old. The only other thing he could see about the little girl was that she had copper coloured hair.

Richard took a few more steps into his library and cleared his throat. "Mr Green?" He asked.

"Yes." The solicitor replied. "Richard Alexander?" He questioned.

"It's Lord Castle now, and you do well to call me by the correct title." Richard replied tersely. "But you are correct. Now could you tell me why you're here and why there is a little girl in my library."

"The two are not mutually exclusive." Mr Green replied, to which Richard raised one eyebrow. Mr Green continued. "I come from a small town called Little Angel, representing the late Miss Sinclair."

"And what does this have to do with me, and the little girl?" Richard asked, only just able to keep the annoyance out of his voice with a child in his presence.

"I was getting to that." Mr Green replied and then turned slightly. "Alexis, come here please." He called.

To say that Richard was shocked would have been an understatement. When the little girl ran over to Mr Green, a smile spread across her face, Richard was surprised to see it was the same as the one he used to see in his own reflection when playing with Katie by the lake as a child. It was immediately obvious why Mr Green was there, and who this Miss Sinclair was.

"Mr Green, I'll call for my housekeeper who can take Miss Alexis and find her something in the kitchen; then we can talk." Richard told the man. He then summoned Carter to go and find Mrs Haistings, the housekeeper. Once Mrs Haistings had taken Miss Alexis out, with the promise of finding her something in the kitchen, Richard moved to sit behind his desk and offered a seat to Mr Green.

"Now Mr Green," Richard started. "Start from the beginning."

"Of course, Miss Alexis was born just over four years ago," Mr Green paused before continuing. "But Miss Sinclair would never tell anyone who the father was, that was until she was on her death bed and wanted her child to be able to have a good life. Miss Sinclair contracted pneumonia about three months ago, and after battling with the illness for six weeks the doctor told her that she wouldn't make it. Miss Alexis had been staying with Miss Sinclair's sister and brother-in-law while she was ill. The day before she passed away I was speaking with her and she told me you were the father."

"Six weeks." Richard said. "Then why am I only finding out now?"

"Well, Miss Sinclair only told me that the father was a Capitan Alexander," Mr Green explained. "And since your title and name have changed recently you were rather hard to find. I rather think that I did well in six weeks."

"I understand." Richard told the man. "What will happen to the girl if I weren't to take her in?"

"Well, she would be placed in an orphanage," Mr Green said. "Probably overcrowded. She would get basic schooling and would never amount to much of anything. I guess the real question is do you have any doubts that she is yours?"

"None whatsoever." Richard told the solicitor. "Her smile is identical to mine when I was young. I'll take her in."

"Excellent." Mr Green said before he picked up his briefcase which had been on the floor. He pulled out a pile of papers and put them on the desk. "Any questions before we begin the legalities?"

Richard shook his head and then started the process of signing what seemed to be endless forms, considering his major headache and empty stomach. Finally the signing of his name finished and Mr Green stood. "Now any questions before I leave?" He asked.

"Just one." Richard replied. "Was Miss Sinclair's name Meredith?"

Mr Green gave the simple answer. "Yes."

"Very well." Richard said and paused before calling out. "Carter." The man in question appeared moments later. "You will show Mr Green out and arrange the collection on Miss Alexis' things from him."

"Yes, sir." Carter replied before turning to Mr Green. "This way please." He said before leading the solicitor out of Richard's library and closing the door.

After the door closed Richard sat with his head in his hands and groaned. If he was to take care of a small child, not to mention a little girl, he was going to need help. He was going to need a governess. And he knew exactly who could help him find one.

What felt like moments later Richard heard a knock on his door. "Enter." He commanded and the door opened. Mr Carter walked in, a tray in one hand and Miss Alexis' hand in the other, looking very uncomfortable at the prospect of a small child.

"Mrs Haistings thought you would like something to eat, my Lord." Carter said, placing the tray on the corner of the desk. "And wanted to know what is to be done with Miss Alexis."

Richard looked at the little girl and noticed that she was holding a small, ragged looking doll. "She can stay here, for the time being." Richard told him. "Tell Mrs Haistings to have a suite made up for her in the family wing as soon as possible, and when it's ready have the nurse come and collect her. She is to be fed dinner by six and be in bed by seven. Also tell Mrs Haistings that I will be starting the search for a governess tomorrow morning. That will be all." Carter gave a slight nod and left the library.

As the door closed Richard turned his head to take a good look at his daughter, only to find her staring intently at him. Before he knew what was happening, she was speaking.

"You're my father." She said matter-of-factly. "Mr Green told me so." When Richard didn't say anything the small girl kept talking. "I'm going to be living with you now, aren't I?" She asked; Richard only nodded. "Why does everyone keep calling me 'Miss Alexis'?" She asked and Richard finally found his voice.

"Because that's your name." He told her bluntly.

"My name's Alexis, I know that." She said with all the authority of a four-year-old. "What I want to know is why everyone is calling me 'Miss'?"

"Because you are my daughter," Richard replied. "I am Lord Castle, and 'Miss' is the title you deserve."

"Ok daddy." Alexis replied before running off to the corner of the library to play with her old doll.

Richard smiled at the small girl before he realised that he needed to send someone out to get her some things. He shook his head; there was a lot he still had to learn, and he knew who to go to for help.

**So what did everyone think? I know there is no Katherine in the chapter, but I felt like introducing Alexis was important, she couldn't just appear, and she's an important character.**

**Reviews are love, let me know what you think :D**


	5. Chapter 5

**I would like to acknowledge everyone who has alerted and reviewed my story, it's those things that keep me going. This chapter has been sitting on my computer for a couple of days waiting for me to figure out whether or not I liked it and me liking it won out. But I'm still not sure how good this is as my critique hasn't read it yet...**

**On with the chapter,**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 5**

Katherine kept to her bed the day after her father's ball, keeping up the appearance of a headache. She stayed in her room reading, but nothing took the thoughts of Ricky from her mind. She took an early dinner in her room, went to bed early and had a fitful night's sleep but was determined to get out the following day.

As she was making her way to the back of the house that morning, to tend to her duties of looking over the garden, Katherine heard a knock on the door and scurried to the breakfast parlour, for she wasn't aware that her father was expecting any visitors, and the breakfast parlour had the best view of the front door. She looked out the window but must have just missed whoever was entering the house. Katherine then moved to the door that led to the foyer but all she got was a peak of a tall man with wide shoulders wearing an emerald green coat making his way to her father's library.

Coming to the conclusion that she wasn't going to find out who was visiting her father she slowly made her way to the garden and started the tour of it with the head gardener.

-!-!-!-

When Lord Castle awoke the morning after finding out about his daughter he knew he had to make a start to his day. It was still early when he called for Carter to draw him a bath and lay out his clothes, mentioning that his green coat would be nice for his day of running errands.

After bathing and dressing Richard sat at his writing desk, wrote out a short note and sealed it. He then made his way down to the breakfast parlour for his breakfast. On his way down the stairs he encountered his valet. "Carter." He said to the man. "You will see that this gets to Lord Beckett immediately." He said handing over the note.

"Yes sir." Carter replied, and continued. "Mrs Haistings tells your breakfast ready."

"Thank you." Was all Richard said before he was on his way.

In the breakfast parlour he found a wonderful looking breakfast, but he wasn't surprised. As much as Mrs Richardson, his head cook, wasn't a very pleasant lady, she was a wonderful cook and then there was Mrs Haistings. She had gotten in contact with the housekeeper at his childhood home, Theatrè, and gotten recipes for his favourite foods, and that was within a week of him being at Lòftòs.

Once Richard had finished with his breakfast he called Carter, who returned with a reply from Lord Beckett and his hat. Richard left immediately, walking the five block distance to Múrdèr. At his arrival he knocked on the door and wasn't left waiting long before the door was opened and he stepped inside, though he did notice the curtains in the window to his right ruffle slightly as he walked through the door; the breakfast parlour, if he remembered correctly. The butler, who opened the door, led him down a corridor and knocked on the door to Lord Beckett's library.

"Enter." Came the gruff voice of Lord Beckett.

Richard was slightly apprehensive about entering Lord Beckett's library, he could count on one hand the number of times he had been in there as a child, and none of them were good.

The butler entered before Richard and announced him. "Lord Castle to see you sir." He said before stepping out

"Lord Castle." Lord Beckett said, looking down at the papers on his desk. "I must have missed you our ball two nights ago, but I was pleased to hear from you-" Lord Beckett stopped half way through his sentence when he looked up and saw a face he hadn't seen in over six years. "Richard." He said sternly. "I think you have some explaining to do young man." And Richard felt five-years-old again.

"Yes sir." Richard said, still standing.

"Please, take a seat." Lord Beckett said, indicating the chair near Richard. "And explain Richard. Explain _everything_."

Richard sat down, looked Lord Beckett in the eye and started at the beginning; with Katherine's coming out six years ago. He told Lord Beckett about his time in the military, not leaving out his one and only escapade with Miss Sinclair. He told the story of the late Lord Castle and how he received his title. He finally recapped what had happened two nights ago at the ball. He paused in his story and Lord Beckett rose.

"But none of those things sound like a reason to need my help." Lord Beckett said handing Richard a sniffing glass of brandy.

Richard took a healthy swig of the liquor and sighed before continuing. "No they're not." Richard said, finishing the brandy in his glass and placing it on the desk. "But the piece of news I received yesterday was. Yesterday I had a visit from a solicitor from Little Angel. It seems that on the night I had that escapade with Miss Sinclair she conceived, and about six weeks ago she died from pneumonia. I am now the sole guardian of a four-year-old little girl and I need to find her a governess as soon as I can. That's why I came to you. I thought you might know a family."

Lord Beckett leaned back in his chair, his clasped hand resting on his chest. "If it weren't for the fact that Miss Giles is getting married next week, I would recommend her. She was governess to all the girls and they loved her, but alas..." Lord Beckett paused and realised how much time had passed. "I will make some inquires for you. Now Richard, will you stay for lunch?"

"Yes," Richard replied. "Thank you Lord Beckett."

"Really Richard." The older man said. "Call me James, we are of the same rank now." He smiled and got up from his chair, leading Richard out of the library and towards the family dining room.

-!-!-!-

As Katherine was making her way down to the family dining room for lunch she decided to ask her father who the tall man in the green coat was, but upon entering the room found that she wouldn't have to as he was clearly staying for lunch. She was awarded a lovely view of his broad shoulders and muscular arms. That was until he turned around and she got the shock of her life.

She was not expecting to see Lord Castle in her house so soon after the ball, but it was evident that he had been speaking to her father, though about what she had no way of telling.

Elaine and Jenifer followed closely, only entering the dining room moments after their sister they noticed the look of shock on her face, but couldn't figure out why. Yes, there was a strange man there, but that was no reason for the look on their sister's face, though the reason soon became apparent.

"Ah, girls, there you are." Their father said once they were all in the room. "You remember Richard? He has recently acquired the title of Lord Castle."

When only minutes later they all sat down to lunch Katherine tried to sit herself as far away from Richard as humanly possible. But whether it was by her father's cunning or Richard's, she was seated next to him, though she stayed silent through the whole meal.

**It is generally accepted that Jim is a nickname for James, ergo calling Kate's father James, because Jim isn't a formal enough name.**

**Let me know what you think, reviews are love :D**


	6. Chapter 6

**AN: I would like to again acknowledge everyone who read and reviewed my previous chapter. This chapter is a little more Kate heavy, hope you like it! :D**

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 6**

For the next couple of days whenever she was at Múrdèr Katherine felt like she saw Richard everywhere. It seemed like he was always around. Either in her father's library talking to him or attempting to engage her in conversation, and try as she might she couldn't get away from him. She never offered to take tea with him, but she daren't flatly refuse to either. On the one occasion that she had thought she might her father had appeared just before she'd had the opportunity.

During one of these sittings of tea, in her father's presence, Richard asked Katherine if she would accompany him to the ball that the Duke and Duchess were holding that Saturday night. Katherine was sure Richard had planned it that way; her father in the room so that she wouldn't be able to refuse his offer, knowing that if she tried her father would make her accept. Her father who didn't understand her turmoil. Her father who just knew that she and Richard were childhood friends. Her father who didn't understand what their relationship really was.

Katherine accepted his offer, stood with a slight curtsy and fled the room, her thoughts running all over the place. She had just told herself that her father didn't understand the relationship between herself and Richard, but Katherine wasn't sure herself. She made her way up to her room; she just needed time to think.

How did she define her relationship with him? That would be a very complicated question to answer because there were three different ways she could think of him. The _Ricky_ she knew as a child; the _Richard_ that she had grown to love, but who had also left her; and the _Lord Castle_ that had walked back into her life barely a week before.

_Ricky_ was easy to define her relationship with; he was her best friend. Probably the single person she had spent the most time with as a child, they did everything together. But as they grew up, somewhere along the line, he turned into _Richard_. While Richard was still her best friend, they had both grown up, matured; Katherine had fallen in love with Richard, and was sure he felt the same way. But then Richard left, and came back six years later as _Lord Castle_. There wasn't really much that Katherine knew about this new Lord Castle because she had been ignoring him all the time they had been together, though that was about to change because they were going to the Duke's ball together.

That was when a sudden realisation came to her. If she went to the Duke's ball (which was always the biggest of the season) with Richard everyone would think that they were courting, possibly betrothed. No one would even think to ask, because surely if her father was letting her attend a ball with another man there was to be a wedding in the future. Maybe that's what her father wanted, for her to marry Richard, but her father had always told Katherine and her sisters to marry for love, not for money, because of that they had plenty.

Maybe her father had an ulterior motive in making her go to the ball with Richard. Perhaps her father new something that Richard wanted to tell her, only with her ignoring him he had been unable to, so he was going to make them be in a carriage together for an unforeseeable amount of time, and she would have to listen to him talk.

Katherine soon realised that she had been in her room for well over an hour thinking about Richard, and that would just not do. She looked at herself in the mirror, dubbed her clothing acceptable for going for a walk in the park and found the matching bonnet. She then, with the company of one of her father's footmen, made her way to Hyde Park.

-!-!-!-

Katherine was making her way around Hyde Park when she saw a little girl with whom she could only assume was her governess. She stopped to watch for a little while; the little girl was so carefree, a little too much for the middle of London, and her governess was clearly reprimanding her for it. The girl slowed to a more sedated pace and her governess stood, took her hand and led her away.

Katherine soon found a bench to sit on, as she had been out for a while and was feeling tired. She pulled out the sketching pencil and parchment she always carried with her and started to sketch the scene she had just seen of the little girl and her governess. She must have been sitting there a while when the footman called for her attention.

"Lady Beckett." Said he. "We must be getting back; the light is starting to fade."

"Of course." Katherine replied, and putting away her things she rose from the bench and headed towards her home.

-!-!-!-

The day of the Duke's ball was an interesting day. For starters it was the first day since he had first come to see her father that Katherine hadn't seen Richard at their house during the day. She also had to go to the dressmaker to make sure her new dress fit properly and arrange for it to be delivered before five.

It was just after noon when she arrived home and having a light lunch she was whisked away by her maid, so that she could begin the process of getting ready for the evenings engagement. It apparently took her maid and two others to get her ready for the evening, and they talked about her when they thought she couldn't hear. Somehow the news that she would be attending the ball with Lord Castle had gotten out to the servants and it was all they could talk of. But it wasn't like she could dismiss them, for the style of her hair was to be complicated and would take a fair amount of work to get it sitting right.

Her dress and undergarments arrived just before five, only just leaving her enough time to get ready, as Richard's carriage would be there at half five.

Her dress was finally secured into place; her ability to breathe apparently not a necessity. She made her way down the stairs to find her father and sisters waiting, all as formally dress as she herself was, with large smiles on their faces. Katherine was just telling her sisters how lovely they both looked when there was a knock on the door.

"Lord Castle." The butler announced and Katherine stiffened as he entered the room.

**Thanks all for reading. Reviews are love (and the fuel to keep me writing), let me know what you think.**

**My mind has also been overwhelming me with the idea for a Bones fic that would run on a parallel timeline to this story, but be based around the main (and a few minor) characters of Bones. How would you guys (and gals) take to that?**


	7. Chapter 7

**Hey look, I'm still alive! I know the chapter has been a long time coming, but life seemed to come a whack me in the face and I barely had time to breathe. Many thanks to the readers out there, new and old alike. **

**Disclaimer: As much as I would like them to be, they're not mine.**

**Chapter 7**

Richard was feeling extremely nervous the morning of Duke's Ball. He was unable to sit still for more than about ten minutes at a time and he couldn't figure out why. He was just going a ball that evening, though that was not entirely true. He was going to a ball with Katie, and he only had realised that morning that everyone there was going to think that they were courting. That would be the only explanation for them arriving together, and it scared him to hell.

He was lost for words later that day when Carter came to help him dress for the ball. Carter had gotten out his nicest clothes and best blue jacket. It was just minutes before he was due to leave and Richard was standing in his dressing room trying to straighten his cravat, but still having little luck by the time Carter returned with his hat and overcoat to tell him the carriage was ready.

"Ah, Carter. " Richard exclaimed upon seeing his valet. "Just the man I needed to see. I can't seem to get my cravat to sit straight, can you help me?"

"Certainly, sir." He replied before straightening the cravat, helping Richard on with his overcoat, handing his hat over and leading him to the door.

The whole of the ten minutes he was sitting in his carriage he was fidgeting and couldn't sit still, and it just became worse when he felt the carriage slow down to enter the circular drive up to Múrdèr. The carriage came to a stop and the driver got down and opened his door.

Richard stepped out of his carriage and made his way up the steps to the door where he paused before knocking. When he did the butler was prompt in opening the door and announcing Richard. He entered and saw that the ladies were already gathered there.

Richard made his way into the house and greeted Lord Beckett with a slight bow of his head and a shake of his hand. He then kissed the hand of each of the girls ending with Katherine. He noticed that she wouldn't even meet his eye. Richard stepped back and offered his arm which Katherine reluctantly took, and they made their way out to his carriage.

-!-!-!-

To say the start of Richard and Katherine's carriage ride to the Duke's ball was uncomfortable would have been an understatement. The pair spent the ride on opposite benches; Richard staring at his hands and Katherine staring out the window. They were about half way to the Duke's estate when Richard decided that he really need to speak, tell Katherine what he had planned to during the ride.

"Katie." Richard started, after a deep breath. "I have something I really need to tell you." The only response that Katherine made was to glance in his direction. Richard paused, trying to figure out how to word what he was going to say. "I had a visit from a lawyer the other day and he gave me some news that has had a great impact on my life, and could have a great impact on yours." Richard paused again. "I'm really not sure how to tell you this, but I have a daughter."

Katherine looked up, shock written all over her face. She didn't know how to respond. Sure she had the basic concept of how women came to be with child, because she had been included in the night before conversation when one of the maids had been getting married a few months earlier. But she was still really confused; Richard wasn't married.

She had what seemed like a million questions, but didn't know where to start. Who was the child's mother and what happened to her? How old was the girl? Where did she come from? Katherine was so lost in her torrent of questions that she hadn't noticed that the carriage had arrived at the Duke's estate and stopped in front of his very large house. Not only that but that Richard has also apparently got out and was offering his hand to help Katherine out.

Katherine placed her hand in his and daintily stepped down the step and onto the loose gravel. As soon as both of her feet were on the ground Richard placed her hand in the crook of his elbow and made for the entrance. Once inside Richard handed over his hat and overcoat to one of the footmen who also took Katherine's pelisse and bonnet and the couple, once again arm-in-arm, made their way to end of the line of guests entering the grand ballroom.

It was at that moment Katherine realised that the Duke's ball was the only one of the season that everyone was introduced as they entered the ballroom and the air between the two became even thicker than it was. As they made their way slowly to the front of the line not a word was spoken between them, mainly because Katherine had so much else on her mind. The news of Richard's daughter had totally left her mind; instead there was what everyone would think when they entered the ballroom together. She knew what everyone would think, everyone would think they were courting, which once had not been a negative idea for her; it had actually been very pleasing. Now, however, it wasn't so pleasing a thought.

So lost in her thoughts, Katherine almost didn't notice that they were almost at the start of the line. She didn't notice until Richard squeezed her hand slightly and she looked up and noticed that there was only one couple in front of them.

They stepped up into view of everyone in the ballroom just as the Chamberlin announced them.

"Lord Richard Castle and Miss Katherine Beckett." And at that the whole room plunged into silence.

**A few more little things to say. Firstly, there is a chapter of Life With Twins on the go, should be up shortly. Secondly, I'm have decided to work on a Bones fanfic which would run parallel to this one it will be called The Bones That Could Have Been, and in deference to that, when I post the next chapter of this story I will be changing the title of it to The Castle That Was. Though this will not be happening until after New Year as I have precious little free time before then.**

**I would like to take this opportunity to say Happy Christmas and Merry New Year, you've all been great, and let me know what you thought of the chapter. :D**


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